SharePoint Document Issues

How to Restrict and Prevent Editing a SharePoint List Date After Creation

Maira Mehtab Sep 21, 2026 868 views

Question details

The user wants to lock the 'Received Date' in a SharePoint service-call list after it is created and restrict the allowed dates to today or yesterday.

Product: Microsoft SharePoint
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Managing a service-call list where the initial entry date must remain within a specific timeframe (today or yesterday) and should not be altered after the item is created.
Observed behavior: Currently, the date column can be modified after the item is created, and it accepts any date value rather than strictly limiting inputs to today or yesterday.

Before you start

Ensure you have Site Owner or List Administrator permissions to modify column settings and add validation formulas in your SharePoint list.

Solution 1Recommended

Use Column Validation to Restrict Dates

Apply a validation formula to ensure the 'Received Date' can only be set to today or yesterday.

While SharePoint does not have a native toggle to completely lock a standard list column after creation, you can strictly validate the input to ensure it falls within your required timeframe.

Access List Settings

Navigate to your SharePoint list, click the gear icon in the top right corner, and select 'List settings'.

Select the Column

Scroll down to the 'Columns' section and click on your 'Received Date' column.

Add the Validation Formula

Expand the 'Column Validation' section and enter the formula: =OR([Received Date]=TODAY(),[Received Date]=TODAY()-1)

Save Settings

Enter a custom user message like 'Date must be today or yesterday' in the box below the formula, then click 'OK' to save.

Validation Limitation: Column validation restricts the date range to valid entries, but it cannot reliably prevent users from editing the value to another valid date after the item is created.

Solution 2

Create a Power Automate Workflow to Prevent Editing

Since out-of-the-box SharePoint cannot lock fields after creation, use a custom workflow to revert unauthorized changes.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make a SharePoint list column read-only after creation?

SharePoint does not offer an out-of-the-box 'read-only after creation' toggle for standard list columns. To achieve this, you typically need to use Power Apps to customize the entry form or Power Automate to enforce the rule.

Why is my column validation formula not working in SharePoint?

Ensure that your formula uses the exact column name wrapped in brackets, such as [Received Date]. Also, verify that the column type is set to Date and Time, and that there are no syntax errors or missing parentheses in the formula.

How do I restrict a SharePoint date column to future dates only?

You can restrict a date column to future dates by going to your list settings, selecting the column, expanding Column Validation, and entering the formula: =[Your Column Name]>TODAY().

Document & File Issues